The two bands merged back into one in 1952 under a new director, Norm Hannewald. The Marching Crusaders gave their debut performance in the annual Homecoming hobo parade as well as the reinstated large Homecoming parade the next day. That year the band played for all home athletic events as well as many of the away games. In the off-season, the band put on several concerts. The band graduated nine seniors; Richard Altobelli (Law & History), Theodore Anderson (Engineering), vice-president Armin Lichtfuss (Music), Allen Olson (English), Marvin Schlichting (German), William Tank (Geography & Physics), Fred Taylor (Law), Philip Tuhy (Government), & drum major Robert Uteg (Business & Economics).

Former student member, Henry Bojarzin was hired as the University Band director in 1953. The marching band practiced in the afternoons under the direction of five drum majorettes. They performed for football games. As part of the Homecoming festivities, the band marched around campus dismissing classes for Hobo Day. The band put on a Christmas concert in conjunction with the Glee club. The University Band also became a pep band for the basketball games. Seventeen seniors graduated including: Fred Bardenwerper & Richard Boehm (Business & Economics), Richard Berndt (Math & Physics), Vernon Braun, Martha Hilgendorf, & Nick Paolisse (Music), Ted Eickhoff & Otto Graesser (Zoology), Glen Ellis (Math), Merton Jannusch & Allen Olson (English), William Melser (Business & Psychology), Ruth McIlvain (Elementary Education), David Thomas (Music & Math), Eugene Philiph (Law), & Ronald Schultz & David Willis (Electrical Engineering).

The University Band switched directors again in 1954 to Julius Klein. There were 35 members that performed for football and basketball games and gave several concerts.